Disability and higher education: assessing students’ capabilities in two Italian universities using structured focus group discussions

ABSTRACT

In the last three decades, inclusive disability legislation has led to an increasing number of students with disabilities entering higher education. However, barriers to the full participation of students remain. This article presents evidence from studies conducted in two Italian universities. Drawing on the Capability Approach, the goal is to analyse the experiences of students with disabilities and to assess their capabilities in academic life. Participatory research methods were adopted using structured focus group discussion techniques. Fifty students with different types of disability participated in the study. Two major findings emerged from the data: (a) the essential value, in the experience of the students, of being able to use educational spaces, move around off campus and socialise with others; and (b) the tendency of capability achievements to vary according to context and type of disability, especially for students with visual disabilities, who experience relatively lower levels of mobility and respect.

KEYWORDS:

• University
• disability
• capability approach
• participation
• inclusion

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Mario Biggeri http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7986-380X

Diego Di Masi http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5409-1492

Notes

1 One exception is CENSIS 2017, but this is only a quantitative study.

2 On the linkages between the Capability Approach, empowerment and participation, see Hart, Biggeri, and Babic 2014; and Clark, Biggeri, and Frediani 2019.

3 Each dimension can be clarified further through the identification of sub-dimensions and the addition of related elements according to the criteria and the target established by the researchers, while still ensuring the researchers’ ability to synthesise the methodology (maximum 10–12 dimensions) with the aim of allowing effective and in-depth debates.

4 The quotes employed in this article have been selected to illustrate the analysis and do not constitute a complete evidence base.